General Information about the University of Maryland Arboretum and Botanical Garden

The University of Maryland, the state’s flagship campus, is located in the Baltimore-Washington corridor. The American Association of Public Gardens, by designating the university as an arboretum and botanical garden in 2008, recognized President C.D. Mote, Jr.’s commitment to becoming a green campus. Maryland is also the first university in the state to be honored as a Tree Campus USA by the Arbor Day Foundation. The Campus inventory of over 8,000 trees, garden plantings and nearly 400 acres of undeveloped urban forest is a beautiful reminder of Maryland’s history and a harbinger of Maryland’s future. The university looks at the campus’ green space as a major resource for its educational, research and service missions.

Mission

The University of Maryland campus is an Arboretum and Botanical Garden that strives to be an instrument of horticultural distinction, landscape design and interpretation, and place-making reflecting the university’s education, research and service missions. The Arboretum and Botanical Garden incorporates the diverse heritage landscapes of the campus from its beginnings as an agricultural college founded in 1856 to its current urban setting befitting a distinguished research university. Through exemplary practices of environmental stewardship, horticulture and urban forestry, the Arboretum and Botanical Garden will enhance the campus’ aesthetic and promote awareness of conservation and preservation of our natural environment for the enrichment of the university community, the citizens of Maryland and our visitors.

History

The State of Maryland chartered the Maryland Agricultural College in 1856 to offer a practical and scientific education to the sons of farmers. The original site of the college consisted of 428 acres and was part of the Rossborough Farms, then owned by Charles B. Calvert, a prime mover in planning and securing the college. Located in northwestern Prince George’s County, the campus consists of 1,250 acres of rolling topography, east of the fall line in the westernmost portion of the Coastal Plain Province and within the Anacostia-Potomac-Chesapeake Bay Watershed. Over its history, the campus’ landscape heritage has evolved to comprise a variety of eco-cultural landscape types that a trained eye may recognize on a campus walk.

Contact Information for the University of Maryland Arboretum and Botanical Garden

Mailing and Shipping address (This is the location of our partner, UMD Landscape Services, and the office of our Assistant Director, Karen Petroff):

University of Maryland

Wye Oak Building (428)

4201 Landscape Ln.

College Park, MD 20742-7215

phone: 301-405-3320

fax: 301-314-9943

hours: 6 am to 2:30 pm, M-F

Wye Oak Building (428)

Horticulturist's Offices and Meeting Room (No mail delivery or shipping to this location):

University of Maryland

Arboretum Outreach Center (156)

3921 Stadium Dr.

College Park, MD 20742

phone: 301-405-3320

fax: 301-314-9943

hours: 7 am to 3:30 pm, M-F, by appointment or prescheduled times only, as sometimes everyone is out on campus and the building will be locked.

This small building was constructed in 1952 to be the home of Apiary Science (beekeeping). The Apiary name on the building has never been changed; however, it is now the home of the Arboretum Outreach Center.

Arboretum Outreach Center (156)

Campus Maps

Click on the below link to a campus map, click on the address search tab and then enter the campus locations to find out where buildings are located. As of September 10, 2015, Google does not have the correct locations, while this map does.

The red 'directions' tab will allow you to get directions from one building to another.

Parking

Our gardens are free and open to the public. There are some parking lots (read the signs for that parking lot carefully) that are free to park in after 4 pm and before 7 am and on weekends, except on game days and during other special events. There is public parking in four large parking garages at the rate of $3 per hour with a daily maximum of $15. On weekends in the garages, the rate is $3 per hour with a daily maximum of $5. There is a small amount of additional pay parking along some streets. Navigation around campus is much easier with this interactive campus map:

Campus Plant Inventory

Click on proceed to map. Then click on the dark red 'layers' tab in the upper left corner. Next select 'Arboretum and Botanical Garden' and then click on the box in front of 'campus plant inventory.' Wait for green dots to slowly fill up the map, then click on the green dots on the campus map to identify the plant materials.

'Greenwood' Mexican Bush Sage (Salvia leucantha 'Greenwood') starts blooming in September for us and blooms through frost. Bees swarm over this plant because it is a great food source for them. It has not survived the winter for us outdoors; however, we think it is worth replanting every year because of the spectacular fall bloom display! photo by Sam Bahr, horticulturist.

'Greenwood' Mexican Bush Sage (Salvia leucantha 'Greenwood') starts blooming in September for us and blooms through frost. Bees swarm over this plant because it is a great food source for them. It has not survived the winter for us outdoors; however, we think it is worth replanting every year because of the spectacular fall bloom display! photo by Sam Bahr, horticulturist.

'Greenwood' Mexican Bush Sage (Salvia leucantha 'Greenwood') starts blooming in September for us and blooms through frost. Bees swarm over this plant because it is a great food source for them. It has not survived the winter for us outdoors; however, we think it is worth replanting every year because of the spectacular fall bloom display! photo by Sam Bahr, horticulturist.

'Greenwood' Mexican Bush Sage (Salvia leucantha 'Greenwood') starts blooming in September for us and blooms through frost. Bees swarm over this plant because it is a great food source for them. It has not survived the winter for us outdoors; however, we think it is worth replanting every year because of the spectacular fall bloom display! photo by Sam Bahr, horticulturist.

'Greenwood' Mexican Bush Sage (Salvia leucantha 'Greenwood') starts blooming in September for us and blooms through frost. Bees swarm over this plant because it is a great food source for them. It has not survived the winter for us outdoors; however, we think it is worth replanting every year because of the spectacular fall bloom display! photo by Sam Bahr, horticulturist.

There are an incredible number of names for this beautiful plant. Common names include: Purple Queen, Purple Heart, Purple Secretia and Purple Wandering Jew. Botanical names include: Tradescantia pallida 'Purple Heart' or 'Purpurea', Setcreasea purpurea and Setcreasea pallida. This colorful creeper roots down where that the stems touch the ground. It is an annual for us. photo by Sam Bahr, horticulturist

There are an incredible number of names for this beautiful plant. Common names include: Purple Queen, Purple Heart, Purple Secretia and Purple Wandering Jew. Botanical names include: Tradescantia pallida, Setcreasea purpurea and Setcreasea pallida. This colorful creeper roots down where that the stems touch the ground. It is an annual for us. Surrounding the Purple Queen is 'Six Hill's Giant' Catmint, 'Zephirine Drouhin' Bourbon Rose and 'Midnight' Mexican Bush Sage photo by Sam Bahr, horticulturist

'Midnight' Mexican Bush Sage (Salvia leucantha 'Midnight') is a late summer bloomer. Do not plant near night lighting as light at night can simulate long days for this plant which needs short days to bloom. This heavy bloomer is a well loved buffet by bees. photo by Sam Bahr, horticulturist

'Midnight' Mexican Bush Sage (Salvia leucantha 'Midnight') is a late summer bloomer. Do not plant near night lighting as light at night can simulate long days for this plant which needs short days to bloom. This heavy bloomer is a well loved buffet by bees. 'Intrigue' Canna is the tall plant in the background with orange flowers and large maroon leaves. photo by Sam Bahr, horticulturist

'Greenwood' Mexican Bush Sage (Salvia leucantha 'Greenwood' on the left has a white corolla and 'Midnight' Mexican Bush Sage (Salvia leucantha 'Midnight') on the right has a red-violet corolla. photo by Sam Bahr, horticulturist

'Greenwood' Mexican Bush Sage (Salvia leucantha 'Greenwood') starts blooming in September for us and blooms through frost. Bees swarm over this plant because it is a great food source for them. It has not survived the winter for us outdoors; however, we think it is worth replanting every year because of the spectacular fall bloom display! photo by Sam Bahr, horticulturist.

A 'Zephirine Drouhin' Bourbon Rose is between the Star Magnolia and the 'Midnight' Mexican Bush Sage and is planted above the 'Purple Heart' or 'Purpurea' Secretia or Purple Wandering Jew; Pampas Grass is in the background; photo by Sam Bahr, horticulturist

'Intrigue' Canna is the tall plant with the large maroon leaves and orange flowers. With heavy winter mulching, it survives the winter for us. This vigorous canna is rust resistant. photo by Sam Bahr, horticulturist

'Greenwood' Mexican Bush Sage (Salvia leucantha 'Greenwood') starts blooming in September for us and blooms through frost. Bees swarm over this plant because it is a great food source for them. It has not survived the winter for us outdoors; however, we think it is worth replanting every year because of the spectacular fall bloom display! photo by Sam Bahr, horticulturist.

From the upper left in a counter clockwise direction: Japanese Hardy Banana (Musa basjoo); Yautia or Malanga (Xanthosoma saggitifolium); Mondo grass and Blue Grass; Blue Taro (Xanthosoma violaceum); 'Carefree Beauty' Rose; Both species of Xanthosoma are edible after proper preparation and cooking. Blue Taro has many different common names as it is used in many communities around the world as a food plant.

Yautia or Malanga (Xanthosoma saggitifolium) is planted at the base of Japanese Hardy Banana (Musa basjoo). There are also a couple of Blue Taro (Xanthosoma violaceum) plants with purple stems or petioles in the photo. Both species of Xanthosoma are edible after proper preparation and cooking.